Egg Dishes to Die For

Overview

Eggs -- they aren’t just what's for breakfast anymore. Indeed, a wealth of tasty and filling brunches, lunches and dinners can be whipped up for your family very quickly using eggs as the main ingredient. Unfairly considered "unhealthy" until recently, this inexpensive food staple has been recently dubbed "one of nature's most complete foods" by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Yes, eggs contain a substantial amount of cholesterol, but researchers have proven that most of it is in the form of polyunsaturated fat, which does not increase cholesterol in the blood. Eggs are also loaded with protein -- perfect for growing kids -- and are an inexpensive substitute for meat or poultry. A medium-size egg contains only 72 calories. Eggs are a great source of B vitamins and vitamin E and also contain iron, magnesium and zinc. So, go ahead and give some of these delicious egg dishes a try next time the "what-to-cook?" quandary hits and your children are clamoring for dinner.

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Veggie Frittata

The tasty and easy-to-make frittata is a fried-egg dish with origins in Italy. A veggie version is a terrific way to stealthily add nutrient-packed produce to your kids' diet. There are many variations on a veggie frittata -- in fact, it's pretty hard to screw up -- but one can be made quickly using just whole fresh eggs, milk, shredded firm cheese (like cheddar; buy pre-shredded to save time), chopped onion and three different chopped vegetables (you can use everything from broccoli to mushrooms to peppers to spinach to zucchini); consider topping with a sliced tomato or two to add extra color and nutrients. Saute the vegetables in vegetable oil in an oven-safe frying pan until tender. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the egg mixture into the pan, stir, and then bake until set. You can serve the frittata cut into wedges like pizza -- which will definitely appeal to the little ones. It's terrific with a green salad and also delicious served at room temperature for lunch the next day.

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Egg Burrito

A very popular Mexican-inflected dish that gets raves in the American southwest, an egg burrito is quick, satisfying and scrumptious whether served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Egg burritos can be made with a vast array of ingredients, but for basic one that is sure to please your family, you'll only need the following for each serving: a flour tortilla, an egg, shredded cheddar, butter (for cooking the eggs), tomato salsa, and salt and pepper to taste. First, warm the tortilla, wrapped in foil, in the oven for a few minutes. While it's warming, whisk the egg, milk and cheese, melt butter in a frying pan. Then add the egg mixture and cook until fluffy. Place the tortilla on a plate, add the cooked egg, top with salsa, roll up the tortilla and enjoy. (For an extra boost of protein, perfect for growing kids, you can add pre-cooked bacon or chorizo sausage; other tasty toppings can include sour cream, guacamole, chiles, and black-bean salsa.)

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Egg Salad

A classic dish that can be enjoyed as a sandwich filling or alone, egg salad is a delicious lunch or dinner treat. The great news is that a killer batch of egg salad is a breeze to make. All you'll need is hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, one stalk celery (finely chopped), and salt and pepper to taste. Peel and chop the eggs into fine cubes, mix with the remainder of the ingredients and chill for 24 hours before serving. If you like, you can jazz up this recipe in many ways. Try adding chopped chives, red onion or scallions, dill, relish, chopped avocado -- or even crumbled bacon. Garnish with dill or parsley. Serve as sandwiches -- within bread, pita or bagels -- or with crackers. Fine-tune a recipe that's beloved by your family.

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Deviled Eggs

A popular, classic hors d'oeuvre, deviled eggs can also make a tasty, protein-packed foundation for any meal. They're also colorful and fancy-looking (without any fancy effort), and kids love them. To make deviled eggs, you'll need hard-boiled eggs, shells removed. Slice each egg in half lengthwise and scoop out yolks and place them in a medium-size bowl. Mix in sweet-pickle relish, mayonnaise, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Arrange egg whites on a plate and fill with the yolk mixture. Garnish with parsley and sprinkle paprika on top of each. Serve with a green salad and crusty French bread.

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Salad With Hard-Boiled Eggs

Add a hearty punch to a ho-hum green salad by topping it with hard-boiled eggs. This is a terrific way to add protein, extra flavor and visual interest to a healthy lunch or dinner. Depending on how hearty you like your salad, you can add one or two hard-boiled eggs -- sliced vertically in half -- to the top of your favorite mixture of greens and chopped veggies, like cucumbers, tomatoes, celery and avocado. Finish the salad with a creamy dressing.

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Vegetable Quiche

An elegant and colorful dish with French origins, a veggie quiche is easy to create. One way to shave off prep time without sacrificing flavor is to start with a store-bought frozen deep-dish pie crust. Preheat the oven and assemble the ingredients: eggs; heavy cream; frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (a pepper, broccoli and mushroom blend is a great choice); and shredded cheddar cheese. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cream and eggs, and then fold in the vegetables and half of the cheese. Pour mixture into the pie shell and spread the other half of the cheese onto the top. Bake the quiche per your recipe's directions, checking periodically to see if it's set. Serve for brunch, lunch or dinner (accompanied by a green salad). Kids will have fun learning a new foreign word that's fun to say, and leftovers will make for a delicious next-day lunchbox treat.